Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
A tragic and thought provoking play that I have recently read and studied was 'Romeo and Juliet' by William Shakespeare. I found this play interesting to read because it all happened in such a short time. In my essay I am going to write about what lead to the tragic deaths of Romeo and Juliet.
Shakespeare uses a short time sequence in the play which inevitably accounts for the tragedy of the play. Encouraged by Romeo, Juliet rushed headlong into a situation that led to misfortune and tragedy. The play starts on Sunday morning. On Sunday evening Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time at the Capulet's party where they fall in love. The next day they are married by Friar Lawrence and by a series of unfortunate events, both Romeo and Juliet are dead by Thursday morning. The sudden sequence of events makes the play pitiful.
The character of Friar Lawrence is another aspect of the play which may have led to Romeo and Juliet's deaths. Friar Lawrence was someone Romeo and Juliet could confide in. In act two scene three, Romeo goes to Friar Lawrence to tell him that he had fallen in love with Capulets daughter at the party. Friar Lawrence is shocked at Romeo's sudden change of heart and says "God pardon sin! Wast thou with Rosaline?" Romeo tells Friar Lawrence that he has forgotten about his last girlfriend, Rosaline, and that he wishes him to marry himself and Juliet. Friar Lawrence agrees to marry Romeo and Juliet and throughout the play he continues to help them with their relationship.
In Act four scene one Juliet, pretending to be attending church for a confession, goes to speak to Friar Lawrence as she is devastated with having to marry Paris. She says to the Friar "Be not so long to speak; I long to die if what thou speak'st speak not of remedy". The Friar helps Juliet by giving her a remedy which will make her sle...